S E M E S T E R I S O V E R

Wow, this is really my last two weeks in Barcelona. These past four months have gone by super quick but at the same time, have lasted a lifetime. Studying here for a semester in Spain at Universitat Autonoma De Barcelona has been exhilarating, exhausting, exciting, and every thing I expected and more! I have made seen so many aspects to life in a european country and Spanish culture in full effect. Before flying to Europe, when I was in Colorado, I would imagine what the city is like, how the people are and how the vibes out. It turns out to be almost exactly how I imagined! I have truly enjoyed my time in spain and am extremely grateful for the opportunity. Over the past four months, It has been a wild ride to say the least. From school and assignments to traveling and exploring! Beyond appreciative of the memories and friends I have made along the way.

Visiting Switzerland was a DREAM! Honestly unreal. One of the most beautiful places I have ever been to in my life. Breathing in the air felt so fresh and clean. Seeing the snow tips on the massive mountains was breathtaking. The lakes were crystal blue and the rivers looked like someone had put blue die in them! I will be back to Switzerland soon!!

Day trip to monserrate! Rode the train from Barcelona to the mountain! Overall a super wonderful view of the valley rolling into the coast of Spain! Also had one of the best buffets ever! I would recommend to anyone visiting Barcelona to take a trip out to montserrat!

As the weekends come to an end, my friends and I had to hit a show! Deep house just hits a little different out here in Spain!

My first time in the South of Spain was amazing! Our program booked a trip for about forty students to Sevilla. The vibes were so different compared to hustle and bustle of the city. It was laid back and everyone was moving at a slower pace. Signs were in castellano instead of catalan. We rode bikes around all day and was amazed by their Plaća Espanya! Over all was in love with Sevilla! It was great to make it down south before heading back home to the states.

It is a bittersweet moment knowing I will be heading home soon. No more tapas, estrellas, siestas and sangria! Back to craft beer, snowboarding and pizza! Beyond grateful to be able to call Barcelona home for the past four months. Until next time.

T H E A G E O F B I G D A T A

"Terms and Conditions May Apply"

Accept.

It literally blows my mind how much data us as a civilization give to massive companies like google, instagram and facebook. Willingly. Its not like these companies are stealing our data and personal information! We press accept on so many pages that we dont even read. The information we put into our apps, platforms and internet is so valuable and I dont think people are educated enough on its value. Myself included. I have to ask, Is it ethical for corporations to use and profit off our data?

This documentary explains in depth the new age of big data we are currently in. The effects of giving all our information to corporations has on the American people and society on a global can be endless. Companies like google and youtube sell our information to government agencies and other third parties such advertisers to "enhance" our experiences. I believe instrgam goes as far as listening to your voice through microphones while using the app. When downloading the app, IG will ask for access to your microphone in order to use their camera features. When you grant access you are telling IG it is okay to use your microphone whenever on the app. Im sure the terms and conditions go more into depth but like I mentioned before, myself and many others simply press accept. We are in a digital revolution and I honestly think the world needs to be . educated on how valuable the information we put out it is.

This all ties into Ethics and Corporate Responsibility. How do we as a society act on those who are unethical? Which approaches do we take and what are the benefits and risks? There needs to be a collective conscious in order to address how corporations use our data.

HRM: December 1st 2019

B E S T P L A C E S TO WO R K

During our class session today, we searched the best places to work in our home country. When researching this question, I could recognized a few firms but I was surprised to find many companies of which I did not know the names or what industry they were associated with. Some of the best places to work in the United States as of 2018 are:

Wynn Las Vegas

Reservations . Com

Choozle

Otter Products

Hilton

Canvas Credit Union

The bigger picture to me is that the hospitality industry really creates one of the best work environments. It makes me wonder what factors go into creating one of the best places to work. Is it the management? Benefits? Compensation? Culture? I'm sure each of these all play into the successful employer structure that the companies mentioned above achieve.

Alex Parker Mentios in an article, the factors that make a company a great place to work are:

Professional Growth

Supportive Culture

Work that requires you to grow

Working with people you like

Its safe to say in order to be one of the best places to work, you must take into consideration all aspects of recruiting, hiring and developing your employees. I aspire to build a company that will be considered a great place to work. I want my partners and employees know they are valued if they are providing high levels of productivity and quality work.

HRM November 27th, 2019